What's in a Name?
by xlnthands
Summary: Did you ever wonder what Bobby's middle initial stands for? A bored Alex stuck on desk duty for the duration of her pregnancy decides to solve the mystery. This story starts as But Not Forgotten finishes up and follows along thru the end of F. P. S.
1. Gargantuan She Spider

A/N Just to clarify for the readers outside of the U.S. Workmen's Comp (short for compensation) is when you are hurt of the job and your employer has to pay for your medical bills and lost wages. Most employers, however, do not pay if you got hurt while horsing around and I'm sure that applies to the NYCPD as well.

Chapter 1Gargantuan She Spider

Alex Eames leaned back in her office chair and raised her arms over head in an attempt to lessen the ache in between her shoulder blades. She also had an ache in her low back that she suspected would only get worse the closer she got to her due date.

She and Bobby were finishing up the paperwork from the murders of the bookkeeper Mrs. Freida Merced, her brother the hit man Dan Feist and the bodyguard Bennie Messina by the ex-cop Earl Carnicki. _Carrying this baby around is really starting to cramp my style, _she thought to herself. She had even had to sit down and rest while she was executing a search warrant and questioning a witness. On top of that, while watching Bobby examine the dead guy's head she had nearly lost her lunch. "You keep doing that and I'm gonna drop this kid right here." She had told him. Bobby and the ME had thought it was hilarious, she had merely turned green.

Captain Deakins had told her she had only to say the word if she felt that she needed to switch to desk duty until the time of her delivery. When they had had that discussion, she had imagined running around with her partner until it was time to leave for the hospital. Now, she realized, she was struggling to keep up with him.

She glanced across their desks to look at her partner. He was engrossed in writing up his account of the events of the case. His forehead was creased in thought, the tip of his pen making languid passes to and fro over his bottom lip. _This sucks_, she thought. _If I take desk duty now, it will be at least three months before I'll be back in the saddle_. She repositioned herself in her chair, trying to get comfortable. She wondered how Bobby would deal with a temporary partner. He hadn't seemed thrilled when she had mentioned that inevitable fact back when she had first told him of her impending surrogacy.

_Forget him, **how am I **going to deal with watching him go off to have all the fun while I'm stuck here working on my case of Carpel Tunnel Syndrome typing up everyone else's forms?_

She gave an exasperated sigh and caught her partner's attention. "What's wrong?" Bobby asked, his face showing his concern.

"Nothing, I just can't get comfortable." She answered, changing positions again.

"That's probably only going to get worse the bigger you get." He told her sagely. She gave him a dirty look and threw a paperclip which actually hit him in the eye.

"Ow! Workman's Comp!" He yelled, tossing the clip back at her. "You keep doing things like that and I'm not gonna bring you coffee and Danish anymore."

"That's right, Bobby," she said sarcastically. "Make idle threats to the pregnant, uncomfortable, did-I-mention-armed, cop."

"Seriously, are you okay? You've been kinda quiet ever since we wrapped this case."

Another image floated to the top of her mind, having to watch Bobby hold hands with their suspect's wife, Isobel Carnicki. _Yuck! _Whether it was pregnancy hormones, stress or just a bad Danish, that little scene had made her sicker than watching Bobby play with the dead guy's head wound. _Jealous! _A voice cried from somewhere out in the left field of her brain. "Whoa!" She cried out loud.

Bobby jumped up out of his chair and came around the desk to her. "What's wrong? Did the baby kick?" He knelt down next to her chair, one big hand hovering over her growing stomach.

"I'm fine, really. It's nothing. Go finish your report or you'll never get out of here tonight." She finally convinced him and he returned to his seat. _Wow, that was an insane thought. Why would I be jealous of that gargantuan she spider? _

"I'm all finished. Want to go get some Chinese?" Bobby asked, closing his brown leather binder with a snap.

"No, I still got a ways to go here."

"I can wait" He cocked his head to the side trying to gauge her reaction.

"I don't really feel like Chinese. I'm just going to finish up here and make it an early night." She smiled grimly at him. As soon as her partner left the building, Alex knocked on Captain Deakins' door.

"Uh oh, I know that look." Said the Captain. "You ready to throw in the towel, temporarily at least?" He rifled through the papers on his desk and found the form he had requested from personnel several weeks before. "Just sign it and date it and you'll officially be a desk jockey."

Alex grimaced but signed the form.


	2. The Dear Bobby Letter

A/N For any readers outside of the U. S. the title of this chapter is a twist on a Dear John letter which is a letter you write to break up with a boyfriend.

Chapter 2The Dear Bobby Letter

Bobby arrived at One PP the next morning a little out of sorts. One of the coffees he had picked up for himself and Eames had a defective lid and it had leaked all over his shoes. They had also not had his partner's favorite Danish and he had agonized over the shop's selection of pastries, trying to figure out what else she would want. He knew she was really starting to feel tired with the pregnancy. He smiled wryly at himself. She was also getting a little irritable and the wrong Danish coupled with only a half cup of coffee might cause her to throw another missile at him.

He got to their desks and set the food down and went in search of some paper towels to clean up what had leaked from the cup. He sat down and was drying off his coffee-soaked foot when he saw a sheet of paper, folded neatly sitting in the middle of his desk. His name was written on it in Alex's handwriting

_**Dear Bobby,**_

_**I wanted to let you know, I decided last night to go ahead and take desk duty for the remainder of my pregnancy. I promised my sister I would do everything I could ,short of giving up coffee, to make sure the baby would be alright and I just feel like now is the time to take things a little easier.**_

_**The captain has told me that I will be bouncing between Major Case and SVU, doing whatever research and typing that needs to be done so I will still see you. You can always call me anytime you need something looked up or if you just feel like your new partner isn't verbally abusing you enough.**_

_**I went ahead and stayed a little late last night and got both of us all caught up on our case files as well as typed up my depositions and yours for the District Attorney's office. I just wanted to make this as smooth a transition for you as possible.**_

_**I stated your name on every file just the way you always sign them : Robert O. Goren. Won't you please tell me what the O stands for? Knowing the answer to this mystery will help my days in exile go a little easier. If it's a secret, I won't tell…..unless its something really funny, in which case, all bets are off. Just write it down and slip it in the vents of my locker.**_

_**Yours Truly,**_

_**Alex**_

Bobby sat staring at the note, not quite believing what it said. Jeez, he had known she might have to go to desk duty but he had never given it much thought. He guessed he had just assumed that the day would come when they would be working a case and they would have to stop down to rush her to the hospital. He quickly checked his calendar. Man, it would be at least three months before she could be back with him again.

He looked at the bear claw he had ordered to go with his coffee sitting on his desk. He had suddenly lost his appetite. And what was all this stuff about his middle name? A few dinners and one very expensive bottle of French perfume for the Human Resource Director several years ago had insured that none of his departmental records stated his name as anything but Robert O. Goren. Alex had asked him about it before but he had declined to answer her then and had no intention of telling her now.

"Bobby, come in my office, would you?" Captain Deakins leaned out of his office door. "Your partner has put in for Desk Duty."

"Yeah, I know." He answered as he came through the door. "I was just reading the note she left for me." He told the captain as he took a seat in his office.

"I've been watching her for awhile now. If she hadn't done it soon, I was going to suggest it to her. She'll probably manage to work right up to her due date now but having to keep up with you was wearing her out."

"I d-didn't r-realize." He looked forlorn.

"Not your fault. Running around all over the City chasing down leads requires a hell of a lot of stamina. She's going to need her strength for the delivery.

Bobby nodded but still looked concerned.

"Your new partner will be arriving this afternoon so you have the morning to get your paperwork up to date."

"Um, yeah, Eames did all that last night already." He scrubbed at his cheek, still trying to contend with the emotions that this new situation had brought up in him.

Deakins laughed at this admission from his detective. "Great, then you have the morning to yourself. Go out and get some fresh air and be back here at 1pm sharp."

"Okay Captain." Bobby got up to go.

"Oh and Goren?"

"Yes Captain?"

"Eames is over at SVU learning their forms and roster this morning so why don't you bring her Danish in here for me?"

Bobby grinned "Do you want her coffee too?"

The captain pulled a face and shook his head.


	3. The Dear Alex Letter

A/N Please read and let me know what you think good or bad.

Chapter 3The Dear Alex Letter

Bobby found himself sitting in Central Park at 8:30 in the morning. He had brought his leather binder with him and a novel he was reading but both lay unopened on the bench next to him. He knew himself well enough to know that he was apprehensive about this whole "new partner" thing. He had had problems with partners before. Two cops working a case meant two different opinions of "who dun it" and two different theories of how they should go about proving it. A lot of precious time could be lost in the pissing contest. That was one of the things that impressed him the most about his partnership with Eames. With only very rare exceptions, they usually agreed on which direction to take their cases. Their solve rate was one of the highest in all of New York. He studied every detail of the initial crime scene before deciding what he thought might have happened. Eames, was often able to listen to his ideas and metaphorically shoot them directly in the next right direction.

He loved that she made him laugh. There were times, even when they were questioning a suspect, when she would make a wisecrack that was so funny he would have to turn his back until he regained his composure. And he found he could make her laugh too. He would catch himself silently mimicking some witness as she questioned them, just to see her smile, knowing that it was all she could do not to laugh.

They worked well under cover together. Playing husband and wife when they needed to hide their identity from a suspect, was something they both got a kick out of . Each time they did it, they kicked it up a notch, competing with one another to see who could be more outrageous in their respective rolls.

The only thing he had trouble with was watching her work a male suspect like she had with the nefarious killer Mr. Jones. Eames had played the guy like a Stradivarius and he knew she saw the slime ball for what he was but standing in the Observation Room watching Jones hit on her had turned his stomach. He hadn't been able to wait to get in there and take the guy apart. Days later, as he was finishing his report, a voice had come at him from inside his own head. _Jealous! _Had he been jealous? Why? She was his partner. He didn't have a problem listening to her stories about her dates. He wasn't jealous.

The biggest plus of all was the fact that she almost never questioned his logic. She trusted his opinion and had respect for his endless supply of arcane knowledge. His partners in the past had neither wanted to try to follow his mindset nor take the time learn to appreciate his methods. His association with Declan Gage had taught him to use traditional police investigation methods alongside of psychotherapeutic techniques and Eames had shown herself not only willing to listen but was also good for the ride when she didn't quite see where he was going yet on any particular case.

He picked up his binder and pulled out the note she had left him. Why hadn't she called him to tell him? He had felt like a fool sitting there reading her note while the coffee he had got for her sat getting cold on her desk. He was disgusted with himself. Here he sat in the park feeling like someone just told him his dog died. Why hadn't she told him yesterday? This was what was bothering her yesterday afternoon and she wouldn't tell him what was wrong.

He knew he was being ridiculous, she was only going on temporary desk duty until she had the baby. He knew also that she was definitely coming back after the baby was born. The kid really belonged to Alex's sister and brother-in-law, after all. It wasn't like there was a possibility she would decide to become a stay-at-home mom. His heart gave a small lurch at the thought of her never coming back.

He grinned as he re-read her comments about his middle name. She was going to be bored huh? Well, maybe a little research to keep her busy was in order. He got out a piece of paper and began to write.


	4. Skittles and Lists

Chapter 4 Skittles and Lists

Alex came through the elevator in Major Case a little after 1pm. Her eyes immediately went to the chair belonging to her partner but it was empty of his lanky frame. Just then she caught sight of him inside Deakins' office. He was shaking hands with a tall slim red head. _That must be the new partner. _She felt a sour hiccup come up in her throat. _Okay, baby enough of that. _She admonished her little niece or nephew inside her.

She had been told to report directly to SVU this morning so she hadn't even gotten to stow her stuff in her locker yet. She fiddled with the combination as she watched her Captain, Bobby and the leggy red-head walk through the bull pen toward the elevators. Bobby gave her a little smile and a small wave as he passed by. She smiled in return just as her hand found the loose piece of paper in her locker. The paper had been folded many times to fit through the vent. She went and got a bag of Skittles from her desk and found an empty interview room. She sat down propped her feet up and open the note.

**_Dear Alex,_**

**_I knew there was something wrong with you yesterday. I wish you could have felt like you could tell me what was going on. I agree you have to make sure you and the baby are taken care of and if that means desk duty, then so be it. Please know that if you need anything at all, you have only to call me. Really, Skittles, Danish, spider removal from various places, you name it, I'm your guy._**

**_I wanted to take this opportunity to thank you for being such a great partner and a good friend. I have enjoyed our association and have the utmost respect for your talents and abilities. I hope you don't find your desk duties to be as dull and tedious as you seem to think they will be._**

**_As to your request for information of a personal nature, I must decline to satisfy your curiosity. My middle name is not a subject that I care to discuss much as you would never deign to tell me why your sister insists on calling you Margaret. You say that's not your middle name so who the hell is Margaret? In conclusion, I will not tell you what my middle name is but since I have such respect for your detecting skills, it wouldn't surprise me if you found out on your own._**

_**Warmest Regards,**_

_**Robert O. Goren**_

_That son-of -a- b…! _Was her first thought. He still won't tell me. And he had the nerve to ask her about the "Margaret thing" again! Her sister Liz had stopped in one day and had had the nerve to use the dreaded sisterly nick name in front of Bobby. Her sister should have kept her big mouth shut because ever since then Bobby had plagued her about it. He had even gotten her a chocolate egg with the name Margaret emblazoned on it for Easter. He had also suggested Margaret when they had been tossing around ridiculous names for the baby.

Alex re-read the note again and popped another candy in her mouth. She didn't really care for the tone of his note. It almost seemed like he never expected to see her again. Sure, it was nice of him to thank her for being his friend and partner and he said some very nice things about her but it sounded so final the way he put it.

He had really thrown down the gauntlet in his final paragraph. "_But since I have such respect for your detecting skills, it wouldn't surprise me if you found out on your own." _Since research was going to be her middle name for the foreseeable future, you bet your sweet ass, she was going to find out what his middle name was.

She made a list of likely places to find the information she wanted and then she listed the names of people to ask. His mother's name went on the top of the list but then she scratched it out. Somehow she knew that would be cheating. She took his brother Frank's name off the list, too. She wanted to show him she could beat this puzzle without going to the obvious sources.

Her first stop was to the Department of Human Resources. There was an endless supply of forms one had to fill out, in triplicate, when one joined the force. Each asked for your mother's maiden name, social security number and your full name as stated on your birth certificate. The woman who was now the Director of the department was a friend of hers from her academy days.

"Hi Alex. What brings you down here? Didn't your captain get our acknowledgement of your new status?" Cecilia asked her when Alex entered her office.

"Yeah, he did, thanks. Your still wearing that incredible perfume huh?" Alex said as the scent met her nostrils. "Some guy with great taste, Cecilia?"

"I'll never tell." The woman said coyly. "So what's up?"

"I was wondering if you would be able to help me settle a bet?" She asked warming to her subject.

***********************************************

Alex stalked out of the woman's office ten minutes later being none the wiser. She thought about the look on Cecilia's face when she had mentioned Bobby's name. _That woman was hiding something. _It suddenly occurred to her that the source of Cecilia's perfume might have been her partner. She didn't not want to stop and analyze why that thought made her blood pressure rise and brought a swift kick to her kidney from the baby.

Alex strode over to the sign-in board and put herself out for lunch. She could think of one person on her list that liked her more than Bobby and wouldn't be susceptible to bottles of French perfume.


	5. See what you miss not working vice?

Chapter 5 See what you miss not working vice?

Bobby and his new partner caught a case early the next morning. They were working on the murder of a young woman found stabbed to death in the home of her journalist boyfriend. He and Bishop had come back to One PP during the day to go over the evidence that CSI had gathered from the victim's apartment and to go over the poor woman's financial statements. Alex walked in with the Tox screen report from the ME. Bobby couldn't resist teasing Bishop when Alex was able to equate the victim's bank withdraws with the price one would pay for a lap dance bought through the club's ATM machine. "See what you miss not working vice?" Bobby had given Alex a brilliant smile but Bishop had given him a dirty look and left the room.

"Have you put your stuff away in your locker yet?" Eames asked him and then followed his partner out into the bull pen.

Bobby immediately got up and made a beeline for his locker. Inside he found another note.

**_Dear Bobby,_**

_**I accept your challenge and wanted to let you know that I have already begun my investigation into this deep, dark secret that you feel unable to share with your friends. I've already discovered your shady association with our** "heavily-scented"** Human Resources Director. You do remember that bribing a police officer is a punishable offense, don't you?**_

**_I went and visited Lewis today, I came back overheated, a little greasy but none the wiser. How have you managed to keep your best friend since second grade in the dark all this time? Poor Lewis said he never even knew your middle initial was O. Your friend Steve was there also and they both send their regards. They tell me they will buy me the best steak dinner in town once I find out this juicy bit of info and share it with them._**

**_Just one other little thing, I think its only fair that if I refrain from bothering your mother about this that you at least concede to tell me whether my guesses are warm or cold. I think I also deserve some sort of clue to start with._**

**_So how are you enjoying working with Bishop? You know, you won't win any points with her if you keep teasing her while she is trying to prove herself. Just a friendly piece of advice._**

**_PS: It isn't Obadiah or Opie is it?_**

**_Tootles,_**

**_Alex_**

Bobby felt a knot form in the pit of his stomach. She had gone to see Lewis? It hadn't been easy keeping his best friend in the dark all these years. It was a good thing that boys don't really think about things like other boys' middle names, not like girl's do. Regardless, he had managed to steer clear of the subject with Lewis. Bobby had met Steve when he was working Narcotics and had been on scene for a meth lab explosion. Steve had literally pulled Bobby to safety and Bobby had taken the man out for a beer as thanks. The had remained friends ever since. If Lewis had been telling Alex about Steve, he would have also told her that the buff fireman had had to give Bobby mouth-to-mouth, as well. Lewis would never let him live that down. He sighed heavily. _I'll never hear the end of this with those two now._

It hadn't occurred to him that Alex could just call his mother or Frank for the information and he was relieved to see that she apparently considered that the easy way out. He grinned to himself and scrubbed at his chin with one finger, Alex had her work cut out for her as he was pretty sure he had had the dreaded name expunged from all the obvious places.

He sat down at his desk and considered her request of a clue. It couldn't hurt, she would never be able to guess.

She might be right about Bishop, though. Eames had much more insight into professional etiquette than he did. But the woman was a little infuriating. He, at least, had been with Major Case for several years but Bishop was already wanting to charge ahead with her own ideas and theories. He cocked his head to one side. Now that he thought about it, Bishop was acting kind of like he had with Eames his very first day. Okay, okay he would cut her some slack.

And what's with the Tootles closing? Eames never says tootles. That's such an infantile thing to say. He took out his binder and began to write, never seeing the fact that playing guessing games and writing secret notes was a fairly infantile way to pass the time.


	6. Bribery is a Crime

A/N Thanks for all the wonderful reviews. As I'm sure I don't need to state, Steve, the fireman, is my own invention. Sorry this chapter is so short. I try to keep things consistent but this story refused to behave that way. I've re-written so many times but it just will not be tamed! One question, I've never bothered with the disclaimer. Does it really matter? Must I admit publically that none of it belongs to me. Sniff, Sniff....Sigh. Please let me know what you think.

Chapter 6 Bribery is a Crime

Alex went to her locker for her purse. Since Bishop had taken over her desk, she had moved a few of her necessary items out of the way, like photos, shopping lists and bags of Skittles. She was surprised to find another note in her locker already. When had he found the time to write? She stuffed the note into her purse and decided to read it when she got home.

The steps leading up to her house were concrete and had not been built to industry standards, they were a little higher than average and today it felt like she had to climb Mt. Everest to reach her front door. She bent over to collect the mail on the floor that have been dropped in the slot. _All junk. I bent over for junk. _She tossed it in the recycle bin inside the kitchen door. Alex flopped down on the couch, propped her feet up on the coffee table and turned on the television. She wasn't particularly hungry, maybe she would just stay in this position all night. Then she remembered the note.

**_Dear Alex,_**

**_I don't think I really meant to challenge you but I am grateful you won't be bothering my mom about this. She wouldn't be able to see the humor of the situation and it would hurt her feelings to know that I don't embrace the second name she chose for me. She told me she chose it because she felt it would very much fit me one day. So there is your clue and remember, my mother was a librarian so words mean a lot to her._**

**_I really wish you had not alerted Lewis and Steve to this subject as it will lead to an endless source of amusement for them at my expense. You told me you liked meeting my buddies and as I'm sure Lewis told you, I can actually attest to the fact that Steve is an excellent kisser. Use that information however you will as Steve is single._**

**_I am very aware that bribery is a crime and can only say, in my defense, that whatever may or may not have transpired between myself and Cecilia, was handled in an extremely unofficial capacity and is also none of your business, Eames._**

**_I have taken your advice about Bishop, though. I remember how eager I was when we first started working together._**

**_PS: Obadiah is an Old Testament name commonly used by the Amish so this one is cold_**

**_And Opie….do I look like Ron Howard? At all?_**

**_Later Alligator,_**

**_Robert O. Goren_**

Alex was glad she was sitting down because his note had her in stitches. Oh my God! That had been funny when Lewis told her about Steve performing mouth-to-mouth on Bobby. According to Lewis, Bobby's first words upon regaining consciousness were_: I hope the beer I smelled on your breath was from you and not your last client._

She smiled sourly at the notion of her giving his fireman friend a whirl just because Bobby mentioned he was single. She was glad his friends were going to be after him about the name now, he deserved it especially after his comments about Cecilia. He all but admitted to having an affair with the woman. Alex stuck out her tongue in disgust.

So Obadiah was cold then, huh. Did that mean all the Old Testament names were cold too or just the ones adopted primarily by the Amish. Thinking about Opie made Alex get the giggles again imagining Bobby with red hair and a fishing pole.

His mother was a librarian and had chosen a name she hoped would one day fit her son. Alex opened her laptop and clicked a fingernail absently against her front tooth. _A name she hope he would one day become. Well, he had definitely become Overgrown. And Observant. _Maybe the name was a word and not a regular name.

She decided she better get up and feed the endless pit that was her niece or nephew before she sat down to compose her next note to her partner.


	7. It's a Matter of National Security

**A/N: Thanks again to everyone who has read along so far and a special thanks to everyone who has reviewed. Your words help keep it all flowing.**

Chapter 7 It's a matter of National Security

Almost a week had past before Bobby was able to get around to responding to Alex's latest note. During that time he and Bishop had wrapped up the murder case at the Sentinel and then immediately found themselves buried under a murder spree that started with a couple of cop killings. He finally caught a break while they waited at One PP for an ambulance driver they wanted to question to be brought in.

Bobby sat down in one of the interview rooms and took out the note from his breast pocket.

**_Dear Bobby,_**

**_Thanks for the clue. I do believe I am making progress. I have been able to check your personal records through Social Security, the U. S. Army, and all of your school records since Kindergarten. As you are aware, they all have you listed as Robert O. Goren. In fact, the extremely aged old lady in the records office of your high school is still under the impression that to reveal your middle name would be a breach of National Security. How would she get an idea like that, Bobby? You should be ashamed!_**

**_Don't get any crazy ideas about hooking me up with your friend Steve. I can get my own dates, thank you very much and besides, now that he's had you, he's probably spoiled for anyone else._**

**_Since your mother is a librarian, I am curious to know whether I Should be looking for a name specifically or for something found only in the dictionary. Here is a list of words I came up with that I thought might fit the criteria :_**

**_Oblique : I thought this might describe all the leaning you do_**

**_Oblivious: You are sometimes, you know_**

**_Obstinate : You are sometimes, you know_**

**_Oyster: Did she think you would turn into a pearl?_**

**_Onomatopoeia: Maybe your mother wanted you to have the soul of a poet_**

**_For names I have come up with Osmond, Othello or Otis. _****_Let me know if any of these are warm._**

**_Always in my thoughts,_**

**_Alex_**

Bobby sat back and contemplated her words. He did remember the prank he had pulled on Mrs. Swailes, the attendance lady in his high school office. The mischief he had caused made his eyes sparkle but he hid his grin behind one large hand. He had gone to the school dressed in his Army uniform demanding to see all of the school records for one, Robert Goren. He had informed Mrs. Swailes that Goren was on a very sensitive mission and all of his school records had to be destroyed to protect his identity. Of course the finicky woman hadn't wanted anything like that to happen and had therefore been more than happy to just remove all traces of his middle name from the school records.

Well Alex was definitely learning more about him in the last few weeks than she had in the last three years. Whether this was a good thing or not, remained to be seen.

He chuckled at her barbs about Steve. He refused to acknowledge that he was also just a tiny bit relieved that Alex showed no interest in his supposedly hunky friend.

The names were all a wash. None of them were right. Osmond meant God's protector. Othello meant wealth and was also the name of one of his least favorite Shakespearian plays. Otis meant rich or keen of hearing depending on what country of origin you chose.

Oblique, Oblivious, Obstinate, Oyster or Onomatopoeia were all interesting. He could definitely see his mother wishing, in hindsight, she had named him Oblivious or Obstinate. Did Alex think he was a pearl? He was also glad Onomatopoeia had never occurred to his mother. But that was the only word that Alex was warm on. The word was Greek in origin, as was his name, and it was used to describe words that sounded like the sounds they made. It was considered a poetic word and his name was associated with one of the greatest poems of all time.

He decided that two could play at this game, if he was ultimately looking at giving up his damn middle name, the least she could do was explain the whole Margaret mystery.

His suspect had just arrived. He stuffed the note back into the binder, reminding himself to compose a response later.


	8. Margaret who?

A/N: **Thanks for reading everyone. As Superfelix pointed out, in the last chapter I was wrong about Bishop using Eames' desk, so chalk it up to poetic license lol. I also realize that I didn't explain who Opie was for the non American readers. Opie was a little boy character on an old sitcom called the Andy Griffith Show. He had red hair and freckles and was very cute. His Dad was the town sherrif. In real life the actor Ron Howard grew up to be a very successful actor in the sitcom Happy Days and then an oscar winning director/producer in films and TV.**

Chapter 8 Margaret who?

Alex arrived back at the precinct after attending the funerals for Detectives Gillman and Lewis. The last thing on her mind was the notes she had written to Bobby. She opened her locker to grab her stuff and go home when the note tumbled to the floor. Not feeling in the mood, at the moment, to continue their game, she picked it up and stuffed it in her purse.

It was a Friday and her new status left her weekends free. She had agreed to go to her parent's house for dinner following the services. Her sister's car was already in the driveway when she arrived. Alex walked in the door and was greeted with hugs and kisses from both her mom and dad. Liz was in the kitchen with her hands in a pie crust.

"Hi Sis," Liz smiled at Alex as she came into the kitchen. She sat her purse down on the counter. "How's the little package your holding for me?''

Alex patted her tummy "Fine, but you need to tell your child to cut down on the karate chops to my bladder. I swear I almost didn't make it to the restroom in time today."

"Alex, come into the living room and sit down." Her mother called to her. "You need to stay off your feet, darling."

"Go on," said her Dad, "Liz and I are getting dinner tonight. Go talk with your mom."

Alex sat helping her Mom put away family pictures in the photo albums when she heard her cell phone ringing from her purse in the kitchen. She started to engage the complex process of hauling her pregnant body up off of the low couch and then changed her mind.

"Liz, grab my phone, would you?" She yelled into the kitchen.

Her sister rushed to her purse and found the phone, not noticing the note that fell to the floor out of the bag.

"Hello? No Bobby, its Liz. How are you? Have you eaten? We are having pepper steak and I made pie. Why don't you come over? Alright, maybe next time. Hold on, here she is?" Liz made a few fake attempts at handing Alex the phone and was enjoying watching her sister make repeatedly desperate grabs for it.

"Hello, Bobby."

"I didn't realize you were with your family."

"Yeah, I had told my parents I would come after the services today. What's up?"

"Nothing really, I just didn't get a chance to talk to you at the services. You doing okay?"

"Yeah, I'm okay unless you count feeling like an overripe watermelon. How about you?"

"This one was kinda tough, I coulda used you."

"Oh, you miss me, how sweet." She said sarcastically but also noticed she felt a little better.

"Oh, and you don't miss me? Has typing suddenly become more exciting or are the rumors true that you went to lunch today with Garrison from Vice?" He teased her back.

"You're a detective, you figure it out." She said with a smile. "I gotta run, dinner's ready. See you Monday, okay?"

She hung up the phone and realized just how much she did miss spending her day with him.

********************************************************

Alex sat at the kitchen table with her sister playing penny ante poker. Her parents were both watching a game show arguing good-naturedly over the answers to the questions.

"You know, Alex. When Kevin and I asked you to do this for us, I never really considered how much it was going to interrupt your life. Thanks again, Margaret." Her sister teased her.

"You can thank me by cutting it out with the Margaret stuff. My partner keeps busting my chops about the whole thing."

"You told him?"

"Of course not!" Alex raised her sister a dime and called. She was holding an inside straight.

"Crap, you win." Liz said laying down her two pair. "You want some more lemonade?" She asked grabbing up Alex's glass. She found the note on the floor as she came back to the table.

"What's this?" Liz asked as she unfolded the note.

Alex recognized the paper and made a grab for it but Liz just skipped away from her. She unfolded the note and began to read aloud.

**_Dear Alex,_**

**_I am sorry to hear that you have wasted so much time checking such obvious sources. One would think, having spent the last 3 years working together that you would have realized that I am nothing if not extremely thorough. As for poor Mrs. Swailes, I can only assume that her believing that she has played a small part in securing the safety of our country has been a source of comfort and pride for the woman and it would be a shame if you dissuaded her from her fantasies._**

**_Your request to know if you should be researching names only or if my mother labeled me with something that might be found in the dictionary, leads me to make a inquiry of my own. I think I would like my own little mystery to work on. I don't see why you should have all the fun. In short, I want a clue about Margaret._**

**_Give me one and I'll consider telling you how you can narrow your search._**

**_Now, to your list of names, none of them are warm._**

**_As to your list of words:_**

**_1. I do not lean, I bend using my obliques but I can't imagine that my mother could have foreseen this habit._**

**_2.I'm not even going to dignify this with an answer._**

**_3. Ditto_**

**_4. You don't think I'm a pearl, Alex?_**

**_5. I don't know if my mother hoped I would have the soul of a poet or not but I do know this word is the only one so far that is warm._**

**_I look forward to hearing from you,_**

**_Robert O. Goren_**

"If you don't give me that note, this kid is going to be graduating from college before you ever see him."

"Jeez, don't get your knickers in a twist, Margaret." Her sister grinned but flipped the note across the table to her. "Passing notes with your partner, huh?"

"Leave it alone, Liz." Alex growled.

"Are you going to give him a clue like he asked?"

Alex let her head fall onto the table, her hair splayed out in a fan over her cards. "I don't know. I supposed it couldn't hurt, he'll never guess."


	9. Too Hot for Comfort

Chapter 9 Too hot for comfort

Bobby was sitting in his apartment relaxing on his couch for once, nursing a whiskey. He was also nursing a sore jaw thanks to a smack he had taken from a budding psychopath named Connie Smith. The kid was being arraigned tomorrow and both he and Bishop planned to be there.

His phone rang.

"Hey Lewis, what are you up to?

"Hi Bobby. Has Detective Alex had her baby yet?"

"No, and Lewis, the baby isn't technically hers, you know. She's having it for her sister. By the way, did you and Steve have to tell Eames all about his Quixotic rescue of me?"

There was laughter at the other end of the phone. "Hell yeah, considering it was Alex who informed me of this deep dark secret you've been keeping from me all these years. You know, Bobby, I'm hurt, I'm really hurt that you didn't trust me with this."

"I didn't tell you cuz you have never kept a secret in your entire life."

"That's true. Hey, can you come and help me on Saturday with that new Shelby I got?"

"Sure, unless I have to work."

He hung up with his friend a few minutes later and started perusing through the mail that had accumulated over the last several days. Nothing caught his attention. He was tired but keyed up. Then he remember he had Alex's last note. He poured another two fingers of whiskey into his glass and took the paper out of his binder.

**_Dear Bobby,_**

**_Is Bishop not keeping you sufficiently entertained that you have to seek amusement elsewhere? I would think that as my partner, you would respect my right to privacy regarding my family secrets but apparently that is not the case. Since I am confident that even your great intellect will be insufficient in cracking this nut, I don't mind giving you a clue. My sister calls me by this name because it is indicative of my behavior, at one point in time, and she uses it to pretend to alert our father._**

**_So I was warm with Onomatopoeia huh? Well, that leads me to ask if the following apply :_**

**_1. Onomatopoeia is often considered as a poetic term. Is it to do with a poem? Oh my God, please don't tell me she named you after Walt Whitman's poem Oh, Pioneers?_**

**_2. Is the words itself Onomatopoeic? She didn't name you Ooze ,did she?_**

**_3. Onomatopoeia is a Greek word. Is the name Greek?_**

**_Thanks for calling and checking on me after the funeral services. And yes, Bobby, you are definitely a pearl in my book._**

**_With my warmest thoughts,_**

**_Alex_**

Maybe it was the whiskey, but he suddenly felt very warm and not completely in a good way. He was definitely intrigue about her sisterly nickname but the fact that she was getting very warm indeed in her hunt for his second moniker was unsettling. _And she thinks I'm a pearl huh? _He didn't miss the "warmest thoughts" gag either.

There was no denying the situation was getting serious. She really might figure it out. Maybe he should propose letting the winner of their little game keep their chosen secret safe. That would mean he would have very little time to solve her mystery first, though.

He steepled his two index fingers just under his lower lip. Margaret. She behaved like a Margaret, hmm? He grabbed his lab top and looked up the name. Surprisingly, it meant pearl. So Eames is a pearl too? That was funny, but he doubted that that was what she meant. Who were some famous Margarets?

St Margaret of Antioch was a virgin martyr but he didn't think Mr. Eames would have ever objected to that trait in his youngest daughter. Likewise, he couldn't see her father being unhappy if she had behaved like Meg March from Little Women.

Margaret Thatcher? No.

His favorite play by Shakespeare had a character named Margaret. He hoped this was not the source of the nickname as this particular Margaret allowed herself to be seduced by one of the villains of the play.

She wasn't out seducing younger men like Maggie Mae in Rod Stewart's song, was she?

He sat down and pulled out another sheet of paper. This time he would have to be very careful indeed of what he wrote to her.

A/N: For anyone who is unfamiliar with the song, there are the lyrics. In Bobby's defense, I think that almost any man thinks the concept of this song is sexy but trust Alex to find the one negative line in the song and focus on that lol.

**Maggie May lyrics**

Wake up Maggie  
I think I got something to say to you;  
it's late September and I really should be back at school.  
I know I keep you amused  
but I feel I'm being used

oh  
Maggie  
I couldn't have tried anymore.  
You lured me away from home  
just to save you from being alone.  
You stole my heart and that's what really hurts.  
The morning sun  
when it's in your face  
really shows your age

but that don't worry me none  
in my eyes you're ev'rything.  
I laughed at all of your jokes  
my love you didn't need to coax

oh  
Maggie  
I couldn't have tried anymore.  
You lured me away from home  
just to save you from being alone.  
You stole my soul  
that's a pain I can do without.  
All I needed was a friend to lend a guiding hand

but you turned into a lover  
and  
Mother  
what a lover !  
You wore me out.  
All you did was wreck my bed  
and in the morning kick me in the head

oh  
Maggie  
I couldn't have tried anymore.  
You lured me away from home  
'cause you didn't want to be alone.  
You stole my heart  
I couldn't leave you if I tried.  
I suppose I could collect my books and get back to school.  
Or steal my daddy's cue and make a living out of playing pool.  
Or find myselfe a rock and roll band that needs a helpin' hand.  
Oh Maggie  
I wish I'd never seen your face.  
You lured me away from home  
just to save you from being alone.  
You stole my heart and that's what really hurts.  
The morning sun  
when it's in your face  
really shows your age

but that don't worry me none  
in my eyes you're ev'rything.  
I laughed at all of your jokes  
my love you didn't need to coax

oh Maggie  
I couldn't have tried any face

you made a first-class fool out of me

but I'm as blind as a fool can be

you stole my heart but I love you anyway.  
Maggie  
I wish I'd never seen your face.  
I'll get on back home one of these days.


	10. Butterball Turkey

Chapter 10 Butterball Turkey

Alex was again sitting on her couch. She was incredibly uncomfortable, her due date had past three days ago. She had also signed off on her maternity leave three days ago. Since then Alex had been sitting on the couch, or eating on the couch, or sleeping on the couch. She wished that, like a butterball turkey, she had a little pin that would suddenly pop out when this child was cooked.

She glanced again at the note Bobby had attached to the bouquet of flowers that had just been dropped off. The flowers were white carnations and royal blue irises and absolutely beautiful. When he had seen her condition, the old guy who had delivered them had made a point of telling her that white carnation were traditionally given for Mother's Day. Alex had put them in a vase of water and they were sitting on the coffee table in front of her.

**_Dear Alex,_**

**_I hope you like the flowers, I thought they would be a nice "going away" present and a good way to deliver this note._**

**_I have been thinking about Margarets. You do know that Margaret means pearl and was originally Greek? I don't suppose you would tell me whether Margaret is fictional or a real person?_**

**_I thought of St. Margaret of Antioch but figured your sister wouldn't tease you if you acted like a virgin martyr._**

**_Do you think you are the oldest and most responsible like Meg Marsh of Little Women? Or that you know what's best for the crown like Margaret Thatcher? If you act like Margaret Thatcher, I can imagine your Dad objecting to that._**

**_So my best guess, at the this time, would be that, at some point in the past, you lured some poor student away from his studies for the purposes of an illicit affair like Rod Stewart's song Maggie Mae. I would think that your father might have something to say about that. You will tell me if I'm warm, won't you?_**

**_Now, to your questions:_**

**_1. Yes, it is associated with poetry but no, not Walt Whitman._**

**_2. Ooze? Are you kidding? No, its not onomatopoeic._**

**_3. It is Greek._**

**_I hope you are feeling okay. Let me know if there is anything I can help you with. You are a pearl in my book too, Margaret._**

**_Take good care and best wishes,_**

**_Robert O. Goren_**

**_PS: I miss you, Eames. I got myself into a little trouble with this computer game case today. You would have seen where I was going wrong from a mile a way if you had been working this one with me._**

_Aww! He misses me! That's sweet! _Her face showed her pleasure at the thought. She was very much less impressed though, to think that Bobby would compare her to the older woman described in the song. _He thinks I'm some Cougar?_

The best revenge she could think of was to find that name of his and to find this morning. She opened her computer and started researching Greek names.

Several hours later she was sure she had found the answer. She typed her note up on the computer and emailed it to Bobby's account at the precinct, marked urgent.

Alex closed her laptop with satisfaction and set it on the cushion next to her. She was hungry and decided to go grab an apple from the kitchen. She started to pushed herself up off the couch. That was when she felt her water break.

**A/N: I did a little research about the flowers Bobby sent. Supposedly White Carnations were the official flower of the first Mother's Day and blue Irises mean faith, hope, wisdom and valor**


	11. Trojan Horses and Hot Nurses

Chapter 11Trojan Horses and Hot Nurses

"They ended up with a game that neither of them could play." Said Mr. Carver speaking about the arrest of Neil Colby for the murder of Corrine Kennedy.

Bobby's cell beeped indicating he had a text message. He couldn't help but smile when he saw the message. "Seven pounds, eight ounces." He said showing the message to Carver.

"Its great. You should call her. I'll handle the booking." Bishop told him.

Bobby made his way back to One PP. He wasn't just going to call, he had promised Alex that he would come and see the baby when it came. He was going to tell Deakins the good news and then sign himself out. Let the Captain and Bishop deal with the reports.

Deakins was more than willing to let him go as long as he took the card that everyone on the 11th floor had signed for Alex. He put himself out on the board and then went to shut off his computer. He was just about to hit the button when he saw the flash for an urgent email. He groaned out loud but hit the button. _This better not be a new case._

_**Dear Bobby,**_

_**I have the answer. It's the only thing that makes sense. It's the only name I can find that I think your mother, the librarian, would have chosen for you because it fits you so perfectly.**_

_**Odysseus is the answer. Odysseus or Ulysses was the Greek name of the hero of Homer's epic poems the Odyssey and the Iliad. Two literary works a librarian should be very familiar with. He was the King of Ithaca and was renowned for his intelligence, guile and resourcefulness . He proved himself to be cunning and shrewd by devising the Trojan Horse trick and using it to take the City of Troy. **_

_**It all fits, this is you, Bobby. You are the smartest person I've ever known and the trickiest. I think it is a good name and one you should be proud of.**_

_**Onto Margaret then. She is a fictional character but not boring like Meg from Little Women. You've read Little Women? **_

_**I cannot imagine how you could equate me with Maggie Mae. Does the morning sun really show my age, Bobby? Don't answer that, you rat! My father really liked this Margaret, however, he wouldn't have wanted his daughter behaving like her.**_

_**Thank you for the beautiful flowers. Don't forget, you said you'd come when the baby is born. **_

_**Missing you too,**_

_**Alex **_

Bobby finished reading the email and shut the computer off. He sat staring at the blank screen for a moment. _Damn, she figured it out! _

****************************************************

He could hear them all, long before he reached her hospital room. The room was filled with Alex's family. Her brother-in-law was holding his new baby boy while Liz looked over his shoulder, smiling. Her mother was standing by Alex's bed holding her hand and straightening her covers. Her father and two brothers were sitting in chairs at the foot of the bed. They were fighting over the remote control for the TV that was suspended from the ceiling in the corner of the room.

Bobby noticed Alex looked tired but was smiling at her mom and making smart remarks to her brothers, telling them to give Dad the remote.

"Well, what do you think?" Alex asked him, indicating the little bundle that Liz was now holding when she saw him come in.

Bobby leaned over the top of Liz to get a better look. "He's perfect. What did you name him?"

"Nathan Alexander. For Alex, of course. Do you want to hold him?" Liz asked him.

"Oh, Jeez, um…I don't know..uh ok… would you take this?" He stuttered as Liz handed the child to him anyway. Bobby handed the office card to Liz as he took the little bundle wrapped up in a blue blanket.

"Hi there, I'm Bobby. You have a cute nose, yes you do." Detective Goren cooed at the baby. Luckily for him he didn't see the three Eames women exchange identical grins of delight at his antics.

This was one of those moments for Bobby when time seemed to slow down and every sense was heightened. He could smell the sweet scent of the baby and feel with his thumb how soft and delicate his little cheek was. Bobby could hear Alex's brothers making comments about the TV show Mr. Eames had chosen.

Mr. Eames had turned the TV to one of his favorite old shows and Bobby could hear the theme song playing in the background. Bobby delved into him memory and came up with the name of the song: Suicide is Painless.

Bobby was just handing the baby back to Liz, when he heard one of Alex's brother make a comment to his father. "Hey, Dad there's that nurse your so hot for."

Bobby's eyes flew to Alex. She was looking at him. "T-that's M.A.S.H." He stuttered at her. "That's the name of that show."

Alex felt the smile fade from her lips but said nothing. She was beginning to feel alarmed.

"Alex," Bobby said to her and she watched the comprehension begin to dawn in his eyes. "Your Dad likes to watch M.A.S.H. The nurse on the show is named Margaret Hoolihan." He moved toward her, leaning to one side to catch her gaze as Alex turned her head away from him. "That nurse is called Hotlips Hoolihan. Eames, I think you have a story to tell me."

Alex sighed and threw her hands up in the air. "Did you get my email?"

"Yes I did."

"I was right, wasn't I?" She asked him, keeping her voice low.

Bobby hung his head with a boyish smile on his face. "Yes, you figured it out. I got teased enough in school about my clothes, about not having my school supplies, you name it, but e-especially about my mom and dad. When I finally learned to stand up for myself, I hung all of those negative feelings on my middle name. Burying my name was like putting all of that away, like it didn't happen." He sat down on the edge of her bed.

"I meant what I said, Bobby. It's a really good name, it suits you."

"Thanks," he said with a blush but those sharp eyes came up and captured hers again. "So, Hotlips huh? Start spilling cuz I definitely want to hear this story."

"Keep your voice down, I don't want my Dad to hear." Alex looked decidedly uncomfortable. "My God, Bobby. You went to high school, too. Didn't you ever have a girlfriend that you spent hours kissing? Liz would constantly catch me with my ninth grade boyfriend, Eddie. She started calling me Hotlips but changed it to Margaret whenever Dad was around. The name just stuck through the years"

Bobby laughed out loud at her story. "Well, your secret is safe with me." One eyebrow arched elegantly over one eye, "however, that only holds true if mine is safe with you."

"Deal." Alex agreed quickly.

"No, no, no." He said wagging one long finger at her. "Not so fast, you already told Lewis and Steve that I was keeping my middle name secret. How are you going to handle them?"

"Well, I've only met Steve once, he's no problem. And really Bobby, do you honestly think that _Detective Alex _can't do a snow job on poor Lewis? Trust me." She laid a finger to the side of her nose, sagely.

Bobby grinned at her and shook her hand. He then looked at her more soberly. "Are you handling all this okay? I mean the baby and all."

"Yeah, I'm okay. I don't know that I won't have times that I won't be, but right now I'm just happy for them." Alex said tilting her head toward where the proud parents stood. "Thanks for asking though. You know, Bobby you are a really good friend."

He smiled at her and was just about to reciprocate when he felt a large hand come down on his shoulder. "Hey Bobby, lets go find a bar and celebrate the birth of my latest grandson," said Mr. Eames. The older man hauled him up playfully by his jacket collar and propelled him toward the door.

"See ya, Margaret." Bobby said to her over his shoulder as they left the room.

"I've always wondered why Liz calls her that. Do you know why?" Mr. Eames asked Bobby.

N-no, no, Mr. Eames. I haven't got a clue."

A/n: Check out the epilogue if you would like to know more about how I came up with the name in the story.


	12. epilogue

Epilogue

When I came up with the idea for this story, I did a lot of research into the name Odysseus and a lot of interesting parallels came up between the name and the character of Bobby Goren. Many of these parallels have to do with aspects of LOCI canon that take place after the time period that I wanted to set my story in. So these are facts that I wasn't able to weave into the plot but I still thought you might enjoy learning about them.

Odysseus was the King of Ithaca and the hero of the epic poems the Odyssey and the Iliad. He was considered to be intelligent, cunning and resourceful. He was famous for figuring clever and tricky ways out of the adventures he found himself in, just like Bobby.

The root of the name may have come from the word odussomai which means hate. Now with Bobby's mother being a librarian, she would have been aware of both Odysseus' intelligence and cunning and the fact that the name means hate. This shows then how conflicted she may have felt at Bobby's birth: hope for her new-born son's intelligence and hate for the man who might be his father, Mark Brady.

It also seems prophetic that in the Iliad, Odysseus had to feign lunacy just as Bobby did in Unhinged. The name also makes prophetic sense in that Odysseus had trials and tribulations and even had to pass through the underworld to make his was back home to the woman he loved.

Another interesting aspect is that the Odyssey states that Laertes was Odysseus' father but another, non-Homeric, tradition states that Sisyphus was his true father. Laertes was a fairly decent King but was a minor character. Sisyphus was a deceitful man who violated the laws of hospitality by killing travelers and guests, much like Mark Brady. Was Frances Goren using the name Odysseus as a declaration to acknowledge the fact that either Mr. Goren or Mark Brady could have been Bobby's father?

I believe this doubt explains why Frances Goren treated the two boys so differently. She knew that Frank was Mr. Goren's son but with her doubt about Bobby's biological father, she put all of her focus on him, constantly comparing him with Frank. Not because Frank was so good, but because Frank was not Brady's child. I think she was always evaluating the differences between the two boys, searching Bobby for any sign of the man who had almost killed her and possibly left her with his offspring.

Of course, we have no way of knowing exactly what the initial O stands for but I think this makes a good case for the name Odysseus. Having Bobby share the name of such a legendary hero suits him, don't you think?

**Thanks to everyone who has read and reviewed you all are wonderful!! Kudos to Sexyscottishdoc for guessing the correct name about half way through the story, you rock!**


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